COVID-19 Pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A Social Inequality Report

Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Jun 10;57(6):596. doi: 10.3390/medicina57060596.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: To perform a retrospective report on the lethality of COVID-19 in different realities in the city of Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Materials and Methods: We accomplished an observational study by collecting the data about total confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in the top 10 high social developed neighborhoods and top 10 most populous favelas in RJ to determine the case-fatality rate (CFR) and compare these two different realities. Results: CFR was significatively higher in poverty areas of RJ, reaching a mean of 9.08% in the most populous favelas and a mean of 4.87% in the socially developed neighborhoods. Conclusions: The social mitigation measures adopted in RJ have benefited only smaller portions of the population, excluding needy communities.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; case-fatality rate; favelas; public health; socio-economic factors.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Pandemics*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Socioeconomic Factors